Melissa Schnieders, Wichita Kansas Real Estate

Urban Homesteading ~ Meet Lucy er... Larry

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:55:45 -0600

Urban Homesteading is alive and well in the Midwest. I've had the good fortune to meet other like minded folks, although most of them are in KC or Lawrence.

If you're new to the idea, get started here . The Dervaes family raises over 6,000 pounds of food every year on 1/5 of an acre. I know, it's mind boggling!!

If you're in the KC area, check out classes here and their Friday Night Market - yum!

And above is my beloved "hen" Lucy, which, as you can clearly see in the photo, is actually a Rooster, renamed Larry. Ahem. As Roosters are not allowed within the city limits, Larry is on the way out of town, as soon as he's a little older.

We ordered our flock from My Pet Chicken and were assured that we would get 100% hens as we just want layers. (As Cole says, " We don't EAT pets Mom!") Alas, 3 of the 12 are Roos.

I'd highly advise anyone thinking of Urban Homesteading to read their CCRs (neighborhood covenants) and the city laws regarding poultry, livestock, bee keeping etc. In my town, roosters and bee hives are outlawed. Poultry and livestock are limited (by livestock, I mean a goat, not a heard of Jersey's.) Funny thing I learned, most subdivisions in KC area do NOT allow clothes lines ~ is that crazy or what?!

Here's a few more links to sites I enjoy: Mother Earth News, Countryside, Little House.

Media Said What?!

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:25:59 -0500

I read this article via a link from MSN.com that's a warning to buyers to watch out as agents try to sneak in Administrative Fees that are in essence, junk fee.

My company is not one that charges admin fees for sellers or buyers, but there are local companies that do. There is even one company in town that forces the buyer to pay hundreds of dollars to have the house re-keyed and de-winterized, and they represent the seller! (Yes, I have a problem with this!)

I have an issue with sneaking in fees of any kind. I do agree with the author's opinion that as agents, we offer a bundle of services and therefore, shouldn't expect clients pay more money on top of the commission. I also know "a la carte" agents... in that they offer a customized list of things they are willing to do and the clients can pick and choose from the list thereby setting their own services and fees. (I find that one a head scratcher - why wouldn't I want to provide all the marketing that I do to every one of my clients? Would having a seller that doesn't want an open house justify reducing my commission a few hundred dollars? What about a seller that chooses to not want print ads? Should he be able to reduce the fee by that value? What about a home that goes through 5 times the amount of color flyers that I budget for? Should I charge the seller more?)

My real complaint with the article is what I tend to take issue with the media's low opinion of Realtors and their choice of inflammatory words... i.e.

"Sellers pay steep commission" and
"It's nice to go shopping with an agent without having a signed agreement, as that keeps you a free agent" and
"Remember, no matter whose relative the agent is, he or she has a strong incentive to persuade you to buy something -- anything. Agents make money by closing deals, period. So maintain an arm's-length relationship."

I'm confident that buyers are savvy enough to figure out that agents make money by doing their job. I do not (and most of the top agents I know) view clients as dollar signs with legs, just waiting to pounce on the next couple that walks by. My job, my career is much more than a commission check.

I'm Going Green... With RED!!

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:53:04 -0500

Yes, after 5 years of thinking about it, I've gone GREEN with Red Wigglers!

I attened the local Lawn, Flower & Garden Show in Feb 2003 and saw a worm farm. I was intrigued by the idea that I could compost year 'round, not just in warmer months. The demonstrator had kits for sale that were just too expensive (well over $100 PER FARM) and I couldn't justify spending that kind of money when I'd rather buy more plants.

Fast forward to this spring. As we were tilling our garden, we discovered that we have a ton of worms because we have always buried our kitchen scraps in the garden rather than composting in the cute bins or rolling composters that several neighbors proudly own. I am would love to own a $400 composter, but honestly, I'd forget about maintaining it and really, I just want to feed the worms and let mother earth break stuff down naturally. But in the winter, I am in no mood to go out to the garden and bury my scraps... so into the garbage they went.

On a whim, I googled "worm farm" and found instructions to make on out of stuff we had on hand. Hubby drilled the holes, the kids and I had a blast shredding newspaper and getting it wet to toss in. We hit up the bait shop and bought 12 dozen red wigglers. They seem to be pretty happy but according to the various websites, we think we need about a pound more worms to consume all that our family produces.

If you're in the Wichita area and would like to buy worms to get started, here's a few places we've found:

P&P Seed and Bait Shop, Nana Jane's Worm Farm and M&J Worm Ranch 755-4826

I've been MeMe'd ~ Thanks Greg!

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:33:15 -0500

I've been meme'd by Greg Fox - a fellow Wichitan and well, gosh, thanks! Here goes...

1. Who is your favorite Musical Artist? Um, of all time, Rich Mullins. But, I really enjoy anything that's 'danceable' - (yes, I'm known for making up words too LOL). So, I listen to a lot of Hip Hop music.

2. Who is your favorite Artist? I tend to be drawn to Black & White photography and my favorites are Ansel Adams , Margaret Bourke-White and Dorothea Lange. I also am intrigued by the Sistine Chapel (someday I'll see it in person) and my youngest son's name is Cole Thomas - as a nod to the famous Thomas Cole.

3. Who is your favorite Blogger? Oh Wow! I can't just choose 1 AR blogger. So, I'll introduce you to 2 of my favorite non-rainers: Big W and Matt

4. If you could meet anyone (alive or dead) who would it be and what is the most interesting thing about them? Well, I am not really into knowing or wanting to know famous people. I would give just about anything to have my Texas Grandparents alive one more day. I'd love to have my Grandpa give me some more photography tips and I'd love to watch one of his infamous slide shows.

5. What did you want to be when you grew up? A mom of 6. In 4th grade, our teacher wanted us to make Career Day posters. I picked a teacher (I know, unique, huh?!). Anyway, she said I couldn't pick that because someone else already had! She wanted a wider variety of potential careers so that our parents could ooh and aah at the posters on PTA night. I suggested a Mom but she said "A Mom isn't a career choice". Little did SHE know! So, I ended up picking a cop, because no one else did.

6. What is the most interesting piece of Trivia you know? I am full of useless tidbits of info which makes for fun times while watching Jeopardy!

7. If you could live in any period in History...when would it be and why? 1940's or 1950's but only if it's really like it was on Leave It To Beaver. Actually, I would like a time machine to jet all around and visit different times because I'm fascinated by so many different eras.

8. What is the most interesting job you have ever had? Every job I've ever had was interesting! But, by far, working with my Aunt Jennifer in my Ohio Grandparents pool store in the late 1970's was interesting because we got to run the tests on the pool water to see what chemicals it needed. This was before the little insta-test kits like we have now and for an 8 year old, it was fun running that machine. I once got a job as a grocery store clerk just because I wanted to run the cash register and scanner - I thought I could do it better/faster than their employees. It was fun... for a while. Then it just got to be a J-O-B so I quit.

TAG - You are IT! I'm meme'ing the following people: Karen Cheek, Sheree Wilkerson, Jennifer Allan, Carole Provenzale, Rich Kruse, Karen George, and Melissa Marro.

555-WHAT?! Love my Blackberry... BUT....

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:17:36 -0500

I got my Blackberry Curve less than 3 weeks ago. I needed to upgrade as the old phone was gasping for air and basically, refusing to do much of anything.

I do love my Blackberry and I can see why people refer to it as a Crackberry. Having my emails delivered to my phone before they even hit my In Box is exciting. Heck, just getting emails on my phone when I'm out of the office is awesome!

The Curve does so much and I'm happy with most of it... but I have 2 wishes:

(1) Touch screen. My old phone had one and I was sooo used to my stylus and touch screen. It is hard to get used to the Curve's little tiny track ball (which, is lopsided - is yours? or is it just me? How do you get it un-lopsided?)

(2) This is just a general plea to the world at large: don't list your phone number as 555-CALL ME because I CAN'T!! LOL The phone numbers are now imbedded in the keyboard and no longer have letters on the key so I am unable to call you since I don't have corresponding alpha/number keys anymore. Hopefully that makes sense. I know that the reason people use those types of numbers is so that you can remember them, and I do! I just don't know what the corresponding phone number is. LOL

And, yes, I'm probably going to upgrade to the Blackberry Bold, when it's released.

845 N Crestline, Wichita KS ~ Backyard Oasis

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:04:20 -0500

Links

Photo Gallery

Kitchen view 1

Kitchen view 2

Dining Room

Sunroom view 2

Sunroom view 1

Upstairs Bath

Master Bedroom

Bedroom 3

Bedroom 2

Family Room view 1

Family Room view 2

Rear view

Yard view 2

Yard view 3

Gazebo

Yard view 1

Description

This 4 bedroom, 2 bath Quad level home has three living spaces: Formal Living room on main floor, Family Room on lower level and Rec Room in basement with a dry bar. Enjoy year round living in the Sunroom which has built in seating with storage. The lush backyard is an oasis in the city including mature trees, patio, Gazebo, various types of perennials, shrubs and flowers make this an outdoor getaway you'll truly enjoy!

Features

Bedrooms:	4
Bathrooms:	2
Parking:	2
Year Built:	1963
Subdivision:	Westlink Village 3rd
Lot Size:	12,627
Garage Size:	2
School District:	Wichita
Square Footage:	1674
Agent Name:	Melissa Schnieders
Broker:	Karen Cheek
MLS #:	240221

Location

845 N Crestline Wichita KS 67212

vFlyerId: 1739822

8102 Havenhurst, Wichita KS ~ Maize Schools!

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:26:35 -0500

Links

Photo Gallery

Living Room

Living Room Fireplace

Kitchen

Bayed Dining Room

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

Main Bathroom

View Out Basement

Rough In Bath

Rear View

Avalon Park

Neighborhood Park

Neighborhood Pool

Description

Incredible find in the move-in ready ranch built by Quentin Moeder. The Fairstone Plan features a large kitchen with island, pantry, hardwood floors and display shelves. Fridge, stove, range hood and dishwasher all stay. The bayed dining room opens onto the wood deck with steps down to the lawn. With a sprinkler system and well, yard maintance is a snap! The master suite features soaring vaulted ceilings, a walk in closet and master bath with corner soaker tub, shower and double sink vanity. the view out basement is ready to be finished with a rough in bath, space for 2 additional bedrooms and a spacious family room. Located in Avalon Park, on a cul-de-sac, within walking distance to the new pool, playground or any of the area ponds. This home is in the desirable Maize school district and is convenient to K-96 and Kellogg.

Features

Bedrooms:	3
Bathrooms:	2
Parking:	3
Year Built:	2004
Subdivision:	Avalon Park
Lot Size:	10,770
Garage Size:	3
School District:	Maize
Square Footage:	1563
Agent Name:	Melissa Schnieders
Broker:	Karen Cheek
MLS #:	240243

Location

8102 W Havenhurst Wichita KS 67205

vFlyerId: 1739810

126 N St Paul, Wichita KS

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:05:20 -0500

Links

Photo Gallery

Living Room

Ktichen

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

Hallway Linen Closet

Main Bathroom

Basement Family Room

Basement Rec Room

Rear View

Shed

Backyard

Description

WOW! Nothing to do but move right in! Brand new: frieze carpet, tile floor in kitchen and baths, tile surrounds in bath tubs, double sink vanity and built in linen closet in master bath, hallway linen closet with full extension drawers, all new kitchen appliances, built in entertainment center in basement family room, new light fixtures and ceiling fans, new interior paint and trim, covered patio, fenced in yard with shed. Take a look at this meticulously renovated home with neutral decor today!

Features

Bedrooms:	3
Bathrooms:	2
Parking:	1 x 2
Year Built:	1940
Subdivision:	Academy Park
Lot Size:	7,000
Garage Size:	1
School District:	Wichita
Square Footage:	2052
Agent Name:	Melissa Schnieders
Broker:	Karen Cheek
MLS #:	240745

Location

126 N ST Paul Wichita KS 67203

vFlyerId: 1739801

1406 N Argonia Road, Milton KS

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:39:50 -0500

1406 N Argonia Rd, Milton, KS 67106

Location: Suppesville

This wonderfully updated ranch style home is on 1+ acre with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 enclosed sunrooms, finished basement, 2 car attached garage plus 24x24 detached garage. The basement has a wood burning fireplace in the family room, a rec room with built in shelving plus a full kitchen.

Information

Contact Information

Melissa Schnieders

316-771-7919

Pricing

Asking Price: $155,000

Property Location

1406 N Argonia Rd
Milton, KS 67106

Links

My Website

View Virtual Tour

Features

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 3

Parking: 2

Year Built: 1970

Subdivision: Suppesville

Lot Size: 132 x 300

Garage Size: 4

School District: Norwich

Square Footage: 2478

Agent Name: Melissa Schnieders

Broker: Karen Cheek

MLS #: 238481

Attributes

Appliances

Range/Oven

Dishwasher

Sink Disposal

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Hardwood Floors

Basement

Basement Kitchen

Storage Room with Shelving

Granite Countertops

Exterior Amenities

Covered Patio

24' x 24' Detached Garage

Freshly Painted

Underground Dog Fence

Close to Golf Course

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

VFLYER ID: 1666661

Photo Gallery

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

VFLYER ID: 1666661

Communication Binders Keeps Them Organized

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:02:13 -0500

I like to be organized, especially with paperwork. My files are neat and orderly and the same system is applied to every single file, no matter if it's a buyer, seller or REO property. But, we had a challenge when it came to our clients. We'd flood them with copies of "stuff" and expect them to figure out how to make sense of it all.

That is, until Melissa Krantz spoke at a RE/MAX convention a few years ago. She brought an example of a Communication Binder that she makes for all her clients. So, we tweaked it a little and now, we love handing a completely organized 3-ring binder to our clients.

We make binders for:

Sellers Listing Paperwork
Sellers House Paperwork (stays with the home, for the new buyers to enjoy)
Buying a Home
New Construction
Short Sale Clients Financial Binder

We use the 2" white binders that you can slip in a cover sheet as well as spine titles. Inside, we use the 5-Tab dividers for various sections and my favorite thing we include is the Business Card Page. It's Avery 76009.

We give the binder at the beginning of the transaction. For sellers, it's at the listing appointment. For buyers, it's when we begin searching for houses. Whenever we give them a copy of something, we hole punch it first and remind them to stick it in their binder.

We give sellers a brown, expandable accordian type file to hold the appliance manuals, warranties or receipts that they'll want to give to the new owners. When they're packing to move, they tend to find all kinds of things that the buyers might want, like plant/shrub care tags, service providers they've used, the garbage disposal key and spare house keys/garage door openers.

At closing, there is a place in the binder for closing paperwork or if they prefer the copies on disk, it can slip right into the front pocket.

Clients report that this binder is a hit. We recently listed a house and the seller pulled out his binder from the 2004 purchase.

_________

Join Active Rain! Click Here to Join!

City Wide Sales Guide

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Sat, 03 May 2008 17:02:22 -0500

If you like to shop at Garage Sales, there is no better way than to hit the City Wide Sales. Here's a guide to upcoming events:

May 3^rd	May 10^th	May 17^th	May 29^th	June 7
Garden Plain	Bentley	Towanda	Cheney	Andover
Goddard	Leon			Bel Aire
Mulvane				Burrton
Sedgwick				Derby
Wellington				Halstead
				Park City

June 13^th	June 21	June 26^th	Aug 9	Sept 5^th
Kechi	Belle Plain	Douglas	Haysville	Clearwater
Hesston
Potwin
Whitewater
Augusta

Be sure to stock up on the earth friendly $1 bags at local Dillons, Target or Wal-Mart before you head out. A friend of mine even has a collapsable shopping cart that she totes around. With city-wide sales, you may have to park and walk several blocks and having a sturdy shopping bag is a must!

1603 N Chambers located in Maize Schools with NO SPECIALS!!

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Sat, 03 May 2008 16:39:11 -0500

1603 N Chambers, Wichita Kansas

1603 N Chambers is a ranch style home in Maize Schools. Built in 1984, this spacious home features 3 bedrooms and 2 baths on the main floor with an additional bedroom and full bath in the daylight basement. This home has vaulted ceilings, 11' x 10' laundry (wow!) plus family room, office, wood deck and so much more! Walk one block to the neighborhood park & playground with tennis courts and basketball courts. No Specials!

Information

Contact Information

Melissa Schnieders

316-771-7919

Contact Reply Form

Forward to a Friend

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Pricing

Asking Price: $164,000

Links

My Website

Virtual Tour

Features

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 3

Parking: 2

Year Built: 1984

Subdivision: Echo Hills

Lot Size: 10,146

Garage Size: 2

School District: Maize

Square Footage: 2720

Agent Name: Melissa Schnieders

Broker: Scott Harris

MLS #: 235002

Attributes

Appliances

Range/Oven

Dishwasher

Sink Disposal

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Vaulted Ceilings

Basement

Ceiling Fans

Walk In Closets

Exterior Amenities

Tool Shed

Wood Deck

Corner Lot

Privacy Fencing

Neighborhood Park & Playground

Photo Gallery

View as Slideshow View Photo Gallery (11 Photos)

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

VFLYER ID: 1648200

At The Dog Wash...

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:49:45 -0500

Driving home from a day at the lake, I spotted this Dog Wash. Which was the perfect timing since our two labs love to swim and roll around in whatever smells good to them. One of our labs is some sort of a brindle lab mutt and she sheds, year-round! Bathing her results in tons of clumped up wet fur lining the tub. So... the dog wash looked quite interesting.

We stopped and took the more adventurous pooch in. They have 4 bays. Each bay has a pull out ramp that the bigger dogs can just walk right up and into the bay. The sprayer is mounted above and is very easy to use. We inserted our quarters and dialed up the flea and tick shampoo. Then, on to rinse and doggie cologne. Finally, we spun the dial to the dry feature. The owner of the dog wash happened to stop by and mentioned that they also have a dog vacuum which can be used on wet or dry dogs. So, we finished up with a doggie vacuum. The noise was minimal as it's a canister vac and the main components were behind the dog wash.

Would we use this again? Oh YES! It was 8 easy minutes from start to finish, Bo (the brown wonder dog) loved it and so did we. No more bending over the tub, washing and rinsing him with a plastic cup. And, no more hollering "Don't shake just yet!".

We even hit up the doggie snack machine on the way out.

The Dog Wash is located on Douglas, just east of Hillside. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Dave Ramsey ~ Listen Online

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:16:05 -0500

I first discovered Dave through his books. And, I had wanted to hear his radio show ever since... but no local stations carry his daily program. When I travel, I can usually find his show on, but not in my hometown. Until, now! I discovered a streaming radio guide that lists stations playing his program. You can also use this website to find just about any talk radio type show and listen live, via radio station's website. So, if you're in Birmingham, you can listen live to a show from Los Angeles. Here's the link to Dave's programs. Scroll down thru the list to find a show playing right now, then click on the "Listen" Button. I have found that I can listen to his show just about anytime of the day and evening. YES!

Fan of Daves? See him LIVE!

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:06:27 -0500

I am a huge fan of Dave Ramsey and the Total Money Makeoverbook. Since discovering him a year ago, I've devoured everything he's written, joined his online Financial Peace University and volunteered at his live event a few weeks ago in Dallas.

Now, I'm one of those people who can read a book and get with the program. And, I'm married to a non-reader. So, as I'm reading, I'm telling him Dave-isms... and he's just nodding and uh-huhing me. He agreed to join the online program and he's even watched a DVD. But, nothing fired him up like seeing Dave live.

We live 6 hours from Dallas, so we had plenty of chat time on our round-trip drive. My husband had a lot of ideas for our babystep 2 which was awesome. But even better than that, he is actually, consciously aware of his spending habits. If you're married to a spender that has no concept of the value of a buck, you know what I mean.

We'll be seeing Dave again in Kansas City on May 3rd. If you get a chance to see Dave live, GO!

You won't regret it!

Facing Foreclosure in Kansas?

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:33:24 -0500

I have started sending out a postcard to folks that are facing a foreclosure. It lists the toll-free hot-line that was created for troubled borrowers. It is a free call and there is no obligation. 1-888-995-4673 is the number and they are available 24/7. Here's a link to an article written about the HOPE toll free number. Or, visit their website at: www.995HOPE.org

If you are in this situation, the first step you need to take is to get educated about your rights and options. There are 6 options you have, 3 will allow you to keep your home, 3 will result in a disposition.

Special Forbearance
Loan Modification
Partial Claim or Claim Advance
Short Sale
Deed-in-Lieu
Assumption (with Lender approval)

I have helped many families facing this situation, and several of them have been approached by investors offering to buy their redemption rights. Then, they have been told, they can rent their own home from the investor for a year or two and eventually, have the option to purchase their home again. Others have been told that the investor will "save" them from a foreclosure by fixing up the house and selling it for them. Before you sell your redemption rights or walk away from your home, contact a neutral party that can explain the foreclosure process and guide you in making decisions. Whether you choose to hire an attorney, talk to a HUD approved Counselor, hire a Real Estate Agent that has training in Foreclosure Intervention or seek other advice, don't delay! Time is of the essence!

THANK YOU ACTIVE RAIN!!!

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:34:13 -0600

Oh, Active Rain, You have made me the happiest woman today!!

I stopped by the office this morning to grab a few files and charge up my digital camera before heading out to preview new listing inventory. While here, I glanced thru my email.

I scanned the message lines rather quickly as I have tons of emails, but one jumped out at me "Back in 1986..." and it was from Abigail B. My heart jumped! Was THIS my long lost exchange student sister?! From Spain?! That I think about all the time and pray that she is having a wonderful, happy, healthy life?

YES! YES! YES!

It was from her. Somehow, she found me and sent a message thru Active Rain! How? I don't know!! But, all I can say is, thanks, from the bottom of my heart for making such an awesome network. I've met many new friends, been able to help hundreds of people and now, I've found my lost sister. THANK YOU!!!!! You guys are the VERY BEST!!!!

UPDATE: The photo above was from our younger days goofing around in the photo booth. We'll have new goofy photos this summer when we get together.

Anybody hear about Countrywide REO?

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 01:29:10 -0500

I heard they were going to be outsourcing - has anybody else heard that?

Where To Find Staging Furniture

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:38:42 -0500

I recently discovered a wonderful resource for Staging Furniture in the Wichita Area. Furniture Options is a store that will rent furntiure and accessories in various packages for very reasonably rates.

If you are considering selling your empty home, I would strongly encourage you to consider staging your home with furniture and accessories. Even just a few pieces can bring warmth to an empty home.

Here's a list of the 18 piece package for $129 a month:

1 Sofa
1 Chair
1 Cocktail Table
2 End Tables
2 Lamps
1 Dining Table and 4 Chairs
1 Dresser & Mirror
1 Night Stand
1 Lamp
1 Headboard
1 Full Bed

For $169 a month, you'll get the above items plus:

1 Centerpiece
The full bed is upgraded to a queen bed

For $249 a month, you'll get the above items plus:

1 Love Seat
2 Framed Art
1 Extra Lamp
1 Extra Night Stand
1 Ficus Silk Plant (6')

They also have many additonal items that can be added to any package including kitchen survival packages, linens and even electronics. Their furniture ranges from country to casual to modern. Visit their showroom in Wichita, Kansas City, Des Moines or Oklahoma City. If you're not sure what sytle will look best in your home, they have Designers that can select furniture and accessories for you.

Having your home staged can be the difference between Just Listed and Just Sold!

Is it a Good Deal?

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:15:20 -0500

Earlier this evening, I got a call from an investor client. Another agent had alerted him to a new listing that's "coming soon" and he asked me to run some comps to determine if it would be a good flip project.

This is a question I hear almost daily. Is this property a good deal?

It's not an easy question to answer as there are many variables to consider.

(1) Cost to purchase - not just the purchase price, but the taxes, insurance, loan costs and closing costs.

(2) Condition of the property & cost to bring it up to current market standards.

(3) Cost of maintaining the property while it's being remodeled including lawn care, utilities, insurance and interest on the loan.

(4) Cost to ready the home to market i.e. staging.

(5) Holding costs while property is on the market until closing.

(6) Closing Costs

If you are considering flipping houses in Wichita, do your homework. Setting a budget to include a purchase price, expenses and sale price is a good start. Have your agent run comps in the area both for purchasing and for selling. Knowing the average days on market and absorption rate for a repaired home can save you from a bad deal. Stay tuned for more information on Investing in Wichita.

Stunning Remodeled Ranch with 4 Bedrooms & 3 Baths on Main Floor

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 23:50:26 -0500

668 S Wetmore Dr, Wichita Kansas

Gorgeous full brick ranch home featuring 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths on main floor. Brand new kitchen with maple cabinets, granite countertops, tile flooring. Main floor laundry just off kitchen with matching cabinets and granite. Spacious formal dining with built in lighted china display, tile floor and crown moulding. Master suite with walk in closet, double sink and 5' tiled shower in master bath. Brand new freize carpet throughout. Basement includes daylight bedroom, large family room, full bathroom, generously sized office and large storage room. Homes is pre-wired for alarm system and video cameras.

Information

Contact Information

Melissa Schnieders

316-771-7919

Melissa@MelissaSchnieders...

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Pricing

Asking Price: $284,900

Features

Bedrooms: 5

Bathrooms: 4

Parking: 2

Year Built: 1971

Subdivision: The Dell

Lot Size: 20,000 sq ft

Garage Size: 3

School District: Goddard

Square Footage: 2911

Agent Name: Melissa Schnieders

Broker: RE/MAX Pinnacle

MLS #: 226974

Attributes

Appliances

Sink Disposal

Satellite

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Basement

Crown Molding

Tile Flooring

Wired for surround sound

Exterior Amenities

Patio

Grass Lawn

Secluded setting

Covered Wood Deck

Large Lot

Photo Gallery

View as Slideshow View Photo Gallery (14 Photos)

Equal Housing Opportunity

VFLYER ID: 1331417

Auburn Hills 10th, Reverse Ranch, $179,900

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 23:47:47 -0500

Reverse Ranch in Auburn Hills!!

Location: Auburn Hills 10th

Gorgeous home designed for entertaining!! This reverse ranch was planned for the family that enjoys main floor living!! The open, spacious kitchen, dining and living rooms allow for large family gatherings. Floor to ceiling pantry, maple cabinets, built in desk, eating bar and just a few of the kitchen amenities. Dramatic vaulted ceiling in the living room plus 2 way fireplace. Master is currently being used as an office. View out basement features: 2nd master suite with corner jetted tub, 4' shower and sink plus vanity. 2 additional bedrooms, family room, oversized laundry and 2 storage rooms complete the basement. Covered wood deck overlooks Auburn Hills Golf Course. This is an ideal home in an ideal location! View the virtual tour at: www.MyWichitaListings.com

Information

Contact Information

Melissa Schnieders

316-771-7919

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Pricing

Asking Price: $179,900

Property Location

609 Limuel Ct
Wichita, KS 67209
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Links

My Website

Virtual Tour

Features

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 3

Parking: 2

Year Built: 2002

Subdivision: Auburn Hills 10th

Lot Size: 12,082

Garage Size: 2

School District: Goddard

Square Footage: 2315

Agent Name: Melissa Schnieders

Broker: RE/MAX Pinnacle

MLS #: 224665

Attributes

Appliances

Range/Oven

Dishwasher

Sink Disposal

Humidifier

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Vaulted Ceilings

Basement

Ceiling Fans

Walk In Closets

Window Coverings

Eating Bar

Exterior Amenities

Grass Lawn

Secluded setting

Overlooks Golf Course

Photo Gallery

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Equal Housing Opportunity

VFLYER ID: 1331428

Read the Fine Print on Title Work

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:33:03 -0500

Behind the scenes, much happens to ensure you get to the closing table on time. As soon as a contract is completely signed off by all parties, we order title work. (I should note that I don't like last minute surprises at the closing table and I'll do whatever I can to avoid delays.)

This month, we've had 3 different issues revealed on the title work.

(1) Unpaid child support. We have a seller who has 100% custody of his child, yet the title work showed unpaid child support would need to be current or an affidavit stating that there was no longer a court order for support. This was an easy fix as the seller had the correct documentation and was able to get it to the title clerk far in advance of his closing to avoid a delay.

(2) Mysterious 3rd seller appears on title work. I represent the buyers so when we got title work back, I was a little concerned to see 3 sellers and our contract was only signed by 2 people. A quick call to the title company solved that mystery - it was a typo from the title clerk. Imagine if we'd gotten all the way to the closing table and then discovered the oversight! All documents would have to be prepared again and would potentially delay closing.

(3) Sellers have 2 mortgages and a home equity line to be paid prior to closing. Total payoff is nearly $120k more than the selling price of the home. This one had me worried until the title clerk verified that mortgage 2 was actually a refinance of mortgage 1. Still, sellers have to bring money to the closing table and I'm glad they have plenty of time to liquidate assets.

If you are in contract to buy or sell a home, ask your agent to supply you with the title work. Read thru everything to make sure that all requirements can be satisfied so that you can close on time. I'm always amazed at the tales from the trenches regarding title work surprises. If ordered early in the process, there should be plenty of time to correct any typos, oversights and surprises.

Uppercase Living

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:29:10 -0500

Friday night while attending a Scrapbooking party, my friend introduced me to Uppercase Living. It's a company that has hundreds of sayings in a variety of sizes and colors that can be applied to flat surfaces like walls, tiles, old windows, picutre frames, laptops and even I-pods.

If you read my earlier post, you know I love collecting quotes.

I found several quotes that are inspirational and would be wonderful in an office like:

Life is a journey, and only you hold the map.
Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.
When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.

Finding a company that can custom make me any quote I want, in a variety of colors, fonts and sizes was incredible! I spent several hours browsing the catalog and playing online designing my favorite sayings.

I showed the catalog to a seller that is getting her home ready to list. We found a few that would really compliment her decor and would draw the eye to some of the better features of her home. Ah! Stagers take note!

I also shared the catalog with a friend and her college bound daughter. It's perfect for decorating dorm rooms or apartments because it's removable.

And, I found that you can custom order a design for a wedding gift. (see photo above.)

If you'd like to check out the catalog, visit the website, sign in as a client using the demonstrater ID of 554770 and registration token of Melissa.

WoofStock '07

Melissa Schnieders (Realty World) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:30:37 -0500

Plan on joining us for WoofStock 2007 on Saturday October 6th

This is a great fund raiser for our Humane Society and Oh! What fun for dogs!

Last year, over 10,000 people and 4,000 pooches attended the event and participated in events like:

Best costume
Best Look Alikes
Talent Show
Shopping
Splash in the pup pools
And so much more!

It's not necessary to have a dog to attend. Our chocolate Lab is well behaved around people and pets so we take him. However, our brindle lab is a doozy! She whines constantly on a leash and tends to want to control anything smaller than her.

Plan on paying a $3 donation to get in and of course take extra $$ for shopping. There are so many wonderful pet themed vendors and our favorite booth was the Doggie Bakery. Max sampled several different goodies.

With your help, we can reach our goal of raising $3 million more to build a new shelter.